Gwinnett Daily Post

LOGANVILLE -- One of Gwinnett's longest serving legislators plans to step down in the coming days.

Rep. Len Walker, R-Loganville, plans to submit his resignation to Gov. Nathan Deal within 10 days, he said Monday.

Walker, an associate pastor at Norcross United Methodist Church, has accepted the position of senior pastor at Big Canoe Chapel.

Currently serving as the chairman of the House Higher Education Committee, Walker has served 17 years in the General Assembly, winning election nine times.

"All that will come to an end," he said of his years in the legislature. "There are some things I'll miss about it. Some things are difficult to walk away from, but I've got something great to walk to."

Walker said he expects Deal to call for a special election in mid-January.